Perfection
by AnnoyingEachOtherSince2007
Summary: Azula was always expected to be perfect, yet she was still alone. Was this drive for perfection her downfall? Could a unlikely friend, thought to have been long dead, be the key to her sanity? Or would she have lost her mind anyway? A oneshot AU ending for Sozins comet.


A/N Thanks for looking at my story. This is an idea I've had for awhile, and I finally had the inspiration to write it down. I was just planning on posting this as a oneshot but if there's enough interest I'll extend it. Tell me what you think of Koi. I'd love to hear from you. I love reviews! This story is an AU ending for Azula for Sozin's comet. I'll stop rambling now, I hope you enjoy! I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER.

Perfection! The princess closed her deep amber eyes. All they had ever asked for was perfection. It was a tall order that could not be fulfilled by just anybody, but she was somebody, the Princess of the Fire Nation. She was not a lowly peasant, clawing, searching for honor and glory but was a royal with great expectations thrust upon her. All she had ever wanted was to bring these expectation to reality. As she sat in the throne room, blue flames dancing about her, broken, afraid, and alone she questioned the value of perfection. Zuko was not perfect yet he was surrounded by those who truly cared and here she was alone. Betrayal! Her friends had left her and her own father abandoned her, his lust for power greater than any love he had for his only daughter. What was the use of being the "perfect, prodigy princess" if it gave her nothing but uncertainty…and fear. "NO! I will not allow myself to succumb to fear! I am not weak like Zuko or-or mother!" Her icy voice echoed throughout the empty throne room, only mocking her loneliness. A few tears wetted her fiery eyes; that had opened wide with her outburst. Perfection had gained her everything she had ever desired but love. She had been a fool to believe winning the war would win her father's affection. She had brought Zuko home, given him credit for her victory, yet he still left. They all did, every single one. She didn't need them! She was not weak! She would paint a smile on her face and carry on like she had for so many years. An image of perfection on the outside but broken and torn into pieces on the inside. She sucked in a breath allowing the bright, blue flames to surround her. They would dry her tears, like they always had. There had never been anyone to do so for her, ever. Once there had been some comfort but not in a person. This comfort had been in the friendship of a dragon. A gift to her from her namesake, Firelord Azulon, it was last dragon egg in the world. Koi had been the last dragon. He once was her comforter and friend, until Ozai had snatched the "distraction" away. She had not seen her dragon since, and like her mother believed him to be dead. A gentle thud sounded from the roof above. Azula jumped to her feet in a defensive stance, prepared to send lightning though the heart of whatever intruder that dared enter. No one came, silence once again consumed the palace. She paused pondering her next course of action. There was no one to send to investigate this disturbance, she had banished them all. There was no choice but to conquer this intruder herself. With a fierce-some glare and a lofty, royal air Fire Princess Azula left her throne and proceeded to the royal gardens. The sun was rising high above the stone walls. Statues of carved dragons smirked in the bright morning light. The trees all waved their delicate leaves in a gentle breeze. The calm, peaceful, serenity of the gardens was shattered by the harsh presence of the broken princess. Azula scanned the place with critical eyes. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but for once she was beginning to question herself, her own sanity. Had she imagined the noise? The sound of the cutting of the wind by strong leathery wings met her ears. She snapped her head in the direction of the sound, her charcoal hair flying briskly over her shoulder. Azula's amber eyes shot wide open as a creature, perched upon the roof cocked its head and gazed upon her with flaming, cat-like eyes. The blue scaled dragon's eyes lit up with recognition at the sight of the princess. Azula froze. Now thoughts of pure insanity were running rampant in her mind. The magnificent winged firebender took flight and landed inches from the shocked princess. "K-Koi?" Azula mumbled in an almost inaudible whisper. The large, scaly head reached forward, nostrils flaring, his smoky breath rising in spiraling columns into the sky. Azula blinked back a few tears in disbelief. She reached a shaking hand forward to touch the dragon. A small hope lit up inside of her. Could he truly be there? She snapped her hand back in an instant. NO! He had left her like all the others. She had been nothing but a mere child grieving the loss of a mother and cousin. Pressured by a father who only wanted power and perfection. Koi had been her only friend and he had left when she had needed him the most. Hatred flicked in Azula's eyes. She would banish him like she had the rest. No one would ever hurt her again, because there would be no one left to cause her pain. Loneliness was more tolerable then rejection, perfection was expected and so father would have it. Pain flicked like flames in the dragon's eyes. The strong beast lowered his head and breathed a small blue flame just like he had taught her so many years ago. His fire could only be matched in hue and beauty by the princess's flames. Koi looked up to Azula hopeful that she would remember those long-lost days of the past. Azula felt anger take place of hatred. Did the beast dare believe a simple game would win her trust? He had left her! She released a fury of flames fueled by her mixed broken emotions. She cracked a whip of lighting hurling it in the direction of the blue dragon. Koi looked up at it and with a sigh lowered his head and waited, letting the princess strike. Azula stooped herself, allowing the cold fire to strike against a stone dragon shattering it into rubble. She let the flames around her die and stood there, in wonder. He would let her destroy him as she had done to everything else she had ever loved. A few warm tears ran down her cheek. "Go!" She screamed in a raspy, lost voice. For how long the princess screamed only Koi would know. She collapsed into a heap of tears and pain, alone like she had always been. A few moments later Azula felt a scaly muzzle touch her hand. She looked up at the dragon as if she could burn through his scales with her very eyes. "I am not perfect!" She screamed. "Go! No one wants a broken princess! No one wants me! I'm…imperfect." Koi only shook his scaly head and placed it gently on her shoulder. Azula could never remember when she had wrapped her arms around the neck of the only friend she had left. She sobbed. The dragon closed his flaming eyes feeling her pain and fear. Koi did not desire perfection, only love, and maybe, just maybe that would be enough to keep her from losing herself.


End file.
